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Waxways #1
A Door in the Dark
One of Us is Lying meets A Deadly Education in this fantasy thriller that follows six teenage wizards as they fight to make it home alive after a malfunctioning spell leaves them stranded in the wilderness.
Ren Monroe has spent four years proving she’s one of the best wizards in her generation. But top marks at Balmerick University will mean nothing if she fails to get recruited into one of the major houses. Enter Theo Brood. If being rich were a sin, he’d already be halfway to hell. After a failed and disastrous party trick, fate has the two of them crossing paths at the public waxway portal the day before holidays—Theo’s punishment is to travel home with the scholarship kids. Which doesn’t sit well with any of them.
A fight breaks out. In the chaos, the portal spell malfunctions. All six students are snatched from the safety of the school’s campus and set down in the middle of nowhere. And one of them is dead on arrival.
If anyone can get them through the punishing wilderness with limited magical reserves it’s Ren. She’s been in survival mode her entire life. But no magic could prepare her for the tangled secrets the rest of the group is harboring, or for what’s following them through the dark woods…
Ren Monroe has spent four years proving she’s one of the best wizards in her generation. But top marks at Balmerick University will mean nothing if she fails to get recruited into one of the major houses. Enter Theo Brood. If being rich were a sin, he’d already be halfway to hell. After a failed and disastrous party trick, fate has the two of them crossing paths at the public waxway portal the day before holidays—Theo’s punishment is to travel home with the scholarship kids. Which doesn’t sit well with any of them.
A fight breaks out. In the chaos, the portal spell malfunctions. All six students are snatched from the safety of the school’s campus and set down in the middle of nowhere. And one of them is dead on arrival.
If anyone can get them through the punishing wilderness with limited magical reserves it’s Ren. She’s been in survival mode her entire life. But no magic could prepare her for the tangled secrets the rest of the group is harboring, or for what’s following them through the dark woods…
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 28, 2023
593 people are currently reading
30120 people want to read
About the author
Scott Reintgen
19 books1,588 followersScott Reintgen grew up in North Carolina, and took full advantage of the fact that he lived on the same street as fourteen of his cousins. It could be a little crowded, but he threw a few elbows and carved out a space for himself as the family storyteller. He enjoyed the role so much that he decided to spend most of college and graduate school investing in the world of literature. This led to a career teaching English and Creative Writing in the great state of North Carolina, where he currently lives with his wife and family. To his great delight, the demand for stories and storytellers is alive and well. As such, he can often be found at local coffee shops laboring over stories that he hopes his family, and fans, will love.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,180 reviews
March 31, 2023
I can't quite decide if Ren is Robin Hood or if this is her villain origin story.
September 5, 2022
Just read the ARC, and I really really enjoyed this. I am a big fan of the Scholomance series, and this book reminds me a lot of this; world building, magic rules, power hierarchy, Magic University, etc. However what’s different, is the main character Ren is out for revenge rather than surviving school.
What I loved about this, is that the character is torn between her ultimate revenge plan and her staying true to her besties that are powerful family heirs. It’s very grey area when it comes to her feelings about that, so I love that it’s up to the reader to decide which way she’s leaning.
I also loved the characters too; each was unique with different personalities which were all too convenient for survival. And surviving an uncharted magic territory ain’t that easy, so it creates an interesting plot for sure!
Also I gave it extra points for not leaving it on a cliffhanger. So no worries there…
I am really hoping there will be a book 2 announced, because this story has so much potential and plot to continue! It’s like when TV shows end the season but they set it up perfectly so that there’s unanswered questions and anticipation for what will happen next.
Really enjoyed this!
What I loved about this, is that the character is torn between her ultimate revenge plan and her staying true to her besties that are powerful family heirs. It’s very grey area when it comes to her feelings about that, so I love that it’s up to the reader to decide which way she’s leaning.
I also loved the characters too; each was unique with different personalities which were all too convenient for survival. And surviving an uncharted magic territory ain’t that easy, so it creates an interesting plot for sure!
Also I gave it extra points for not leaving it on a cliffhanger. So no worries there…
I am really hoping there will be a book 2 announced, because this story has so much potential and plot to continue! It’s like when TV shows end the season but they set it up perfectly so that there’s unanswered questions and anticipation for what will happen next.
Really enjoyed this!
October 4, 2024
⭐️4.50⭐️
DAMN — Scot Reintgen does it again!
A Door in the Dark had the perfect mix of underlying familiar fantasy tropes balanced with a unique and intriguing world and the beginnings of interesting characters.
The writing was great, and while the author always writes well, there was an improvement that made the story feel more “seasoned”.
I would have really loved to see the book in first person so that I could feel closer to the FMC and her revenge arch, similar to how Red Rising is in first person. However, perhaps it would have been awkward to read Ren explain how smart she is in first person.
I felt one or two of the side characters could have also had more depth, but the length and pacing of the book is good as is, so again not a big deal, but part of why it hasn’t hit 5 stars as a stand-alone for me just yet, but the series may do overall.
I loved the twists and turns, and I appreciate the cleverness and skill of not having a deliberately glaring cliffhanger — but still leaving more than enough for the audience to chew over in anticipation of the next book.
The world building and magic system are intricate and feel unique to this book. I definitely think this series could be an easy trilogy, but there’s so much already set up that it could also be five books if the author wanted.
This is a very strong start to the Waxways fantasy series and I’m truly anticipating the next release and more!
DAMN — Scot Reintgen does it again!
A Door in the Dark had the perfect mix of underlying familiar fantasy tropes balanced with a unique and intriguing world and the beginnings of interesting characters.
The writing was great, and while the author always writes well, there was an improvement that made the story feel more “seasoned”.
I would have really loved to see the book in first person so that I could feel closer to the FMC and her revenge arch, similar to how Red Rising is in first person. However, perhaps it would have been awkward to read Ren explain how smart she is in first person.
I felt one or two of the side characters could have also had more depth, but the length and pacing of the book is good as is, so again not a big deal, but part of why it hasn’t hit 5 stars as a stand-alone for me just yet, but the series may do overall.
I loved the twists and turns, and I appreciate the cleverness and skill of not having a deliberately glaring cliffhanger — but still leaving more than enough for the audience to chew over in anticipation of the next book.
The world building and magic system are intricate and feel unique to this book. I definitely think this series could be an easy trilogy, but there’s so much already set up that it could also be five books if the author wanted.
This is a very strong start to the Waxways fantasy series and I’m truly anticipating the next release and more!
August 23, 2023
So glad I bought this book on a whim! I just had a feeling it would be a good fit and it was!
The world building was super excellent and extremely unique, and had a great fantasy academia setting that took a turn for survivalist dark fantasy! I loved how the characters had a strong D&D party vibe, and how the protagonist was a Hermoine Granger character type (which is more rare for this genre). Overall, really enjoyed it and looking forward to book 2!
The world building was super excellent and extremely unique, and had a great fantasy academia setting that took a turn for survivalist dark fantasy! I loved how the characters had a strong D&D party vibe, and how the protagonist was a Hermoine Granger character type (which is more rare for this genre). Overall, really enjoyed it and looking forward to book 2!
April 22, 2023
Review coming soon.
April 14, 2023
This was a book that started out really interesting and immediately gripped me. I liked the world, I enjoyed the humor, it kept me engaged. Then around the middle of the story when they left the magic school for a forest adventure the book lost me and I found myself not really caring about the events that were unfolding.
April 22, 2023
I'm shocked by the end of it and I'm a bit mad at Ren. It's just another book that I liked the plot but not the main character. To be more specific, Ren might be the most selfish and callous protagonist I have ever seen.
And we have an explanation for it, she can justify all her brutal acts because she lives her life for revenge. She is ready to risk the lives of everyone around her, those she loves and those she doesn't, including her friends who care about her and have supported her for years.
In addition to all this, the thing that turned me off the most was the way she looked at Theo. She looks at him as an object to be used for her future and then discarded instead of a human being with feelings.
Theo is a sincere and very sweet boy who strives to do better for himself and the people he is responsible for. Will he be able to open his eyes to the injustices done to him and react to the dirty tricks being played behind his back in upcoming books? I hope so.
And we have an explanation for it, she can justify all her brutal acts because she lives her life for revenge. She is ready to risk the lives of everyone around her, those she loves and those she doesn't, including her friends who care about her and have supported her for years.
In addition to all this, the thing that turned me off the most was the way she looked at Theo. She looks at him as an object to be used for her future and then discarded instead of a human being with feelings.
Theo is a sincere and very sweet boy who strives to do better for himself and the people he is responsible for. Will he be able to open his eyes to the injustices done to him and react to the dirty tricks being played behind his back in upcoming books? I hope so.
April 1, 2023
Solid 4.5!
May 18, 2024
⭐️ 3 stars
This book has an intriguing blurb, like One of Us Is Lying meets A Deadly Education. When I read the full blurb, I was fully seated. The plot is very interesting, but only until about 40%. After that, it becomes quite lackluster. I was waiting for some wild stakes or a surprise obstacle, but I was really disappointed that nothing significant happened. While I was impressed by some of the magic, their journey through the forest is bland, with no good teamwork between them. There are a lot of creatures and mysterious places, but they just exist; there isn't much development of those elements.
Then comes the last chapter, which made me mad at the main character. I already felt suspicious of her from the beginning, but I didn't expect her to become so selfish towards everyone. I tried to understand her reasons for why she did all that, but it is just so wrong of her to act like that, even towards her friends who always stayed by her side. Nobody could convince me that she wasn't wrong, and her grudge can't justify all of it.
Oh, don't forget to mention there is romance in it, but it feels too forced. Even though I feel like the author didn't want to make this part too obvious, for me, it's really poorly written, especially when the characters have no chemistry what-so-ever about love for each other.
Because of all that, I ended up not enjoying this book much. The way the story takes turns makes me drift away whenever I open a new chapter. I'm not sure if I want to read the second book, but I really like Theo and want to see more of his character development. I hope he can open his eyes well to see what's around him.
This book has an intriguing blurb, like One of Us Is Lying meets A Deadly Education. When I read the full blurb, I was fully seated. The plot is very interesting, but only until about 40%. After that, it becomes quite lackluster. I was waiting for some wild stakes or a surprise obstacle, but I was really disappointed that nothing significant happened. While I was impressed by some of the magic, their journey through the forest is bland, with no good teamwork between them. There are a lot of creatures and mysterious places, but they just exist; there isn't much development of those elements.
Then comes the last chapter, which made me mad at the main character. I already felt suspicious of her from the beginning, but I didn't expect her to become so selfish towards everyone. I tried to understand her reasons for why she did all that, but it is just so wrong of her to act like that, even towards her friends who always stayed by her side. Nobody could convince me that she wasn't wrong, and her grudge can't justify all of it.
Oh, don't forget to mention there is romance in it, but it feels too forced. Even though I feel like the author didn't want to make this part too obvious, for me, it's really poorly written, especially when the characters have no chemistry what-so-ever about love for each other.
Because of all that, I ended up not enjoying this book much. The way the story takes turns makes me drift away whenever I open a new chapter. I'm not sure if I want to read the second book, but I really like Theo and want to see more of his character development. I hope he can open his eyes well to see what's around him.
April 13, 2024
It took a bit for me to get into this one, but I absolutely loved the creepy, hunted feeling of this book once it got going! Interested to see where it goes in the next book, especially with that ending
November 15, 2024
Спочатку було досить цікаво читати, далі стало скучно.
March 29, 2023
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: A Door in the Dark
Author: Scott Reintgen
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Diversity: POC coded characters
Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy, thriller, survival horror, dark fantasy, magic
Publication Date: March 28, 2023
Genre: YA Fantasy
Age Relevance: 16+ (death, parental death, classism, grief, romance, alcohol consumption, child abuse, drugs, drug use, religion, gore, cursing, torture, violence)
Explanation of Above: There is some violence and blood gore shown in this book. There is death and parental death shown and mentioned along with grief. There is one scene with torture shown. There are discussions of classism and prejudice. There are drugs mentioned and shown, some slight drug use, and alcohol consumption by the main cast of characters. There is some romance shown. Religion is mentioned. There is some cursing.
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Pages: 368
Synopsis: Ren Monroe has spent four years proving she’s one of the best wizards in her generation. But top marks at Balmerick University will mean nothing if she fails to get recruited into one of the major houses. Enter Theo Brood. If being rich were a sin, he’d already be halfway to hell. After a failed and disastrous party trick, fate has the two of them crossing paths at the public waxway portal the day before holidays—Theo’s punishment is to travel home with the scholarship kids. Which doesn’t sit well with any of them.
A fight breaks out. In the chaos, the portal spell malfunctions. All six students are snatched from the safety of the school’s campus and set down in the middle of nowhere. And one of them is dead on arrival.
If anyone can get them through the punishing wilderness with limited magical reserves it’s Ren. She’s been in survival mode her entire life. But no magic could prepare her for the tangled secrets the rest of the group is harboring, or for what’s following them through the dark woods…
Review: Overall, I thought this was an interesting read. The book revolves around our MC who is a student at this school and there is some classism at play, especially since she’s a lower class. During an event in which her and a handful of other students are in a classroom, a big burst of magic happens and they’re sent through a portal to the wilderness. The book focuses primarily on their struggles to survive. Throughout the book I compared this to Lord of the Flies or Hatchet but with magic and in a way I was right. We see characters fall to this being that is inhabiting another dead body of a student and their fight to survive in this harsh wilderness. The book even shows the outcome of the events and what the survivors are dealt by the end. Overall, I thought this was a interesting take and I loved how the author used D&D like magic instead of regular literature magic, meaning they kinda have “spell slots” and so much magic they can use instead of just unlimited abilities. I also liked how this was very different than other magical fantasy books I’ve read. In my opinion, this would be an excellent HP alternative read.
However, I did feel like the book was really hard to get into. There’s a bit of an info dump in the beginning and it’s a little difficult to understand at first. I also felt like the pacing was a bit too slow in places and the ending was a bit too long for my liking.
Verdict: It was very interesting and different than other fantasy reads.
Book: A Door in the Dark
Author: Scott Reintgen
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Diversity: POC coded characters
Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy, thriller, survival horror, dark fantasy, magic
Publication Date: March 28, 2023
Genre: YA Fantasy
Age Relevance: 16+ (death, parental death, classism, grief, romance, alcohol consumption, child abuse, drugs, drug use, religion, gore, cursing, torture, violence)
Explanation of Above: There is some violence and blood gore shown in this book. There is death and parental death shown and mentioned along with grief. There is one scene with torture shown. There are discussions of classism and prejudice. There are drugs mentioned and shown, some slight drug use, and alcohol consumption by the main cast of characters. There is some romance shown. Religion is mentioned. There is some cursing.
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Pages: 368
Synopsis: Ren Monroe has spent four years proving she’s one of the best wizards in her generation. But top marks at Balmerick University will mean nothing if she fails to get recruited into one of the major houses. Enter Theo Brood. If being rich were a sin, he’d already be halfway to hell. After a failed and disastrous party trick, fate has the two of them crossing paths at the public waxway portal the day before holidays—Theo’s punishment is to travel home with the scholarship kids. Which doesn’t sit well with any of them.
A fight breaks out. In the chaos, the portal spell malfunctions. All six students are snatched from the safety of the school’s campus and set down in the middle of nowhere. And one of them is dead on arrival.
If anyone can get them through the punishing wilderness with limited magical reserves it’s Ren. She’s been in survival mode her entire life. But no magic could prepare her for the tangled secrets the rest of the group is harboring, or for what’s following them through the dark woods…
Review: Overall, I thought this was an interesting read. The book revolves around our MC who is a student at this school and there is some classism at play, especially since she’s a lower class. During an event in which her and a handful of other students are in a classroom, a big burst of magic happens and they’re sent through a portal to the wilderness. The book focuses primarily on their struggles to survive. Throughout the book I compared this to Lord of the Flies or Hatchet but with magic and in a way I was right. We see characters fall to this being that is inhabiting another dead body of a student and their fight to survive in this harsh wilderness. The book even shows the outcome of the events and what the survivors are dealt by the end. Overall, I thought this was a interesting take and I loved how the author used D&D like magic instead of regular literature magic, meaning they kinda have “spell slots” and so much magic they can use instead of just unlimited abilities. I also liked how this was very different than other magical fantasy books I’ve read. In my opinion, this would be an excellent HP alternative read.
However, I did feel like the book was really hard to get into. There’s a bit of an info dump in the beginning and it’s a little difficult to understand at first. I also felt like the pacing was a bit too slow in places and the ending was a bit too long for my liking.
Verdict: It was very interesting and different than other fantasy reads.
September 2, 2023
2.5/5
I am so incredibly disappointed. This was one of my most anticipated 2023 releases.
The concept was super cool and unique! Reintgen always writes books unlike anything I've ever read before. I loved the scientific magic system and thought it was interesting how there were wands and other vessels used to store basically magic, and they had to be recharged with a kind of points system (it sounded like 'ocklies' but I have no idea how to spell it) to enable the wielder to use magic. Magic isn't indefinite, it's a consumable source that can run out and has to be replenished. I thought it was interesting (and credible!) that class and wealth made such a difference in magical society - it makes sense that magic would be more attainable to the rich than the poor. The revenant part was pretty cool, too, and I liked that it was kind of a slasher/thriller mixed with a fantasy. The concept is where this book shines!
However, just about everything else about this story fell utterly flat for me. I think the main issue for me was that the feeling just wasn't there. I never connected to a single one of the characters, thus I didn't care what happened to them. [spoiler]Characters were dying left and right and I did not bat a single eyelash. I literally did not care about one single death. Which is quite sad considering only 2/6 of them made it out alive. Yikes.[/spoiler] Third person almost never works out for me because it creates a disconnect. The main character, Ren, was also quite emotionless and the narrator didn't bring any emotion to the story to compensate. Even when crazy shit was happening it never seemed like Ren felt much of anything. Yeah, she'd be panicking, or sad, but it all felt superficial to me. Like a puppet faking emotion. Ren was extremely detached and clinical.
The romance was also terrible. It moved WAY too quickly and lacked chemistry for how quick it moved. If there's a clear attraction with great chemistry, I don't mind if it's a little bit insta-lusty. But Ren hated Theo's family for getting her dad killed, and even when she did start to act like she liked him, it was completely unfeeling and only to further her own future. She was kind of a sociopath, come to think of it. I usually like a morally grey MC, but she was straight up cold and apathetic. Which is probably why I felt nothing. [spoiler]The big reveal about Ren intentionally sabotaging the waxway would have been a lot more shocking if she had actually acted like she felt anything about it. She said she was responsible for the deaths but never acted like she was responsible.[/spoiler]
The pacing was off for me, because even though lots of things were happening, I found myself bored through most of the book. It didn't help that it took almost 30% to get to the event in the synopsis. Maybe it's the lack of feeling, but I felt like the audio took forever. By the end of the book I just wanted it to be over. I doubt I'll pick up the second book.
I am so incredibly disappointed. This was one of my most anticipated 2023 releases.
The concept was super cool and unique! Reintgen always writes books unlike anything I've ever read before. I loved the scientific magic system and thought it was interesting how there were wands and other vessels used to store basically magic, and they had to be recharged with a kind of points system (it sounded like 'ocklies' but I have no idea how to spell it) to enable the wielder to use magic. Magic isn't indefinite, it's a consumable source that can run out and has to be replenished. I thought it was interesting (and credible!) that class and wealth made such a difference in magical society - it makes sense that magic would be more attainable to the rich than the poor. The revenant part was pretty cool, too, and I liked that it was kind of a slasher/thriller mixed with a fantasy. The concept is where this book shines!
However, just about everything else about this story fell utterly flat for me. I think the main issue for me was that the feeling just wasn't there. I never connected to a single one of the characters, thus I didn't care what happened to them. [spoiler]Characters were dying left and right and I did not bat a single eyelash. I literally did not care about one single death. Which is quite sad considering only 2/6 of them made it out alive. Yikes.[/spoiler] Third person almost never works out for me because it creates a disconnect. The main character, Ren, was also quite emotionless and the narrator didn't bring any emotion to the story to compensate. Even when crazy shit was happening it never seemed like Ren felt much of anything. Yeah, she'd be panicking, or sad, but it all felt superficial to me. Like a puppet faking emotion. Ren was extremely detached and clinical.
The romance was also terrible. It moved WAY too quickly and lacked chemistry for how quick it moved. If there's a clear attraction with great chemistry, I don't mind if it's a little bit insta-lusty. But Ren hated Theo's family for getting her dad killed, and even when she did start to act like she liked him, it was completely unfeeling and only to further her own future. She was kind of a sociopath, come to think of it. I usually like a morally grey MC, but she was straight up cold and apathetic. Which is probably why I felt nothing. [spoiler]The big reveal about Ren intentionally sabotaging the waxway would have been a lot more shocking if she had actually acted like she felt anything about it. She said she was responsible for the deaths but never acted like she was responsible.[/spoiler]
The pacing was off for me, because even though lots of things were happening, I found myself bored through most of the book. It didn't help that it took almost 30% to get to the event in the synopsis. Maybe it's the lack of feeling, but I felt like the audio took forever. By the end of the book I just wanted it to be over. I doubt I'll pick up the second book.
September 16, 2023
Take one part Harry Potter (magical school sorted into cliques), one part One of Us is Lying (one student in the group is un-alived early in the story and everyone is hiding something) with a dash of Hunger Games (group of kids fighting for survival in the wild). What does that add up to? Absolute Perfection!!
This starts off with a bang in the prologue before going back a bit in time to meet all our characters and do a chunk of world building. This section is a tad slow, but it’s short and once we jump back to the present it’s full speed ahead with non-stop action. That’s it. That’s all I’m going to say. This is definitely a book it’s better to go into mostly blind.
This was super dark, full of shocking twists and morally gray characters so of course I absolutely loved it! This is a 5⭐️ drop everything and go pick this up now kinda book!
This starts off with a bang in the prologue before going back a bit in time to meet all our characters and do a chunk of world building. This section is a tad slow, but it’s short and once we jump back to the present it’s full speed ahead with non-stop action. That’s it. That’s all I’m going to say. This is definitely a book it’s better to go into mostly blind.
This was super dark, full of shocking twists and morally gray characters so of course I absolutely loved it! This is a 5⭐️ drop everything and go pick this up now kinda book!
August 2, 2023
Another YA Fantasy that I loved, I can not wait for the next book. The world building and magic system were both explained thoroughly without making the pace drag at any point of the story. The characters are easily separated even though we meet most of them all at once and the audio only had one narrator, Jesse Vilinsky. I'll be adding her to my list of fave audiobook narrators along with Julia Whelan and Adam Lazarre-White. There is a little bit of everything in this story; a dark academia setting, a revenge story, surviving a harsh magical wilderness, and a touch of romance. If you were a fan of All of Us Villains make sure to grab a copy of this book when it releases March 28th. Thank you to @simon.audio for my ALC.
January 23, 2024
Devamını çıkınca mutlaka okuycam genel olarak kurgu çok hoşuma gitti ,olayların hepsinin zeki kızımız Ren'in başının altından çıkmasını beklemiyordum ölümler olmasa gerçekten 5 vereceğim bir kitaptı özellikle tatlı Theo için 🤗
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 15, 2023
5/5 stars.
Thank you to the publisher for the early copy via netgalley.
Okay I really just want to gush about this book. And I'd love to give more information, but I went in pretty blind to what was going to happen and I loved it.
This book is packed full of action, magic, danger, unlikely friendships, and more. I never would have guessed the turns this story took us through. The antagonist showed up at all the right times.
The world and magic system were pretty well built and explained without bogging down the story. The differences between the poor and the wealthy in the way of magic is a huge divide. The world obviously has a big chasm between the classes that paints how they see the world.
Ren's poor and barely has enough to get by both in her home life and in her school life. She works extremely hard and is one of the top students in her class, yet she hasn't been chosen to work with one of the big houses. Her character was a know it all, but also very likable at the same time.
All of the other characters bring important knowledge to the storyline as they help each other travel through the middle of nowhere.
Seriously, I am obsessed with this book. There is nothing I would change.
Thank you to the publisher for the early copy via netgalley.
Okay I really just want to gush about this book. And I'd love to give more information, but I went in pretty blind to what was going to happen and I loved it.
This book is packed full of action, magic, danger, unlikely friendships, and more. I never would have guessed the turns this story took us through. The antagonist showed up at all the right times.
The world and magic system were pretty well built and explained without bogging down the story. The differences between the poor and the wealthy in the way of magic is a huge divide. The world obviously has a big chasm between the classes that paints how they see the world.
Ren's poor and barely has enough to get by both in her home life and in her school life. She works extremely hard and is one of the top students in her class, yet she hasn't been chosen to work with one of the big houses. Her character was a know it all, but also very likable at the same time.
All of the other characters bring important knowledge to the storyline as they help each other travel through the middle of nowhere.
Seriously, I am obsessed with this book. There is nothing I would change.
September 19, 2023
This book cycled through about four genres over the course of the story in the very best way. It kicks off as a magic academy/social commentary story then wilderness survival then horror, then it ends on a note of revenge. I really enjoyed this story. In addition to the well transitioned genres, the story was very engaging and the world itself unique. I liked the characters very much and how they evolved over the course of the story. I eagerly await the subsequent installments of this series.
June 7, 2023
2.5 rounded down,
the first half was great but it just wasn't that good after. the fact that almost all of the main characters died felt unnecessary. ren wasn't that likable. and the plot twist was literal garbage.
the first half was great but it just wasn't that good after. the fact that almost all of the main characters died felt unnecessary. ren wasn't that likable. and the plot twist was literal garbage.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to read
November 13, 2023did someone say wizards???
May 30, 2024
3.5 rounded up
October 31, 2023
O son neydi öyle şeytan seni hiç beklemezdim 👀
March 27, 2023
A Door in the Dark by Scott Reintgen is a tale of two stories. There are the first two-thirds of the story, entertaining but not memorable or engaging. I didn’t hate it enough to set it aside, and it did entertain me. Then there is the book’s last third, wherein we learn some intriguing information and get a plot twist that changes everything. Suddenly, I want to read more and discover how this new information will play out given what we already know. It is not a writing style I generally recommend – leaving all the exciting reveals until the end – but it works for Mr. Reintgen.
A Door in the Dark has an intriguing premise with its locked room murder mystery set in a magical world. Then, it morphs into an adventure story wherein our hapless students must traverse uncharted territory to reach safety. Finally, Mr. Reintgen adds a revenge plot to the mix. None of these trajectories are boring or poorly written, but neither are they stellar. It is only when a last-minute plot twist becomes something of a game-changer that I became fully vested in the story, a fault I attribute to the fact that there is no blend of the plotlines. There is the murder, then there is the adventure. Mr. Reintgen mentions the revenge plot several times throughout the story but only abstractly. Only towards the end does it start to take shape, and that’s where A Door in the Dark starts to get interesting.
I had a similar reaction to the main character. Ren appears to be one thing during the murder mystery portion. She is a bit fusty, like one of those know-it-alls you avoid at social functions. Then Ren adapts to become something else while in the wilderness. While she still manages to spout oodles of knowledge, she tones down her approach and lets herself be somewhat human for these scenes. Still, she feels very basic until the end of the book, that is. Something happens that proves Ren is much more complicated than you think through most of the story.
Combine a newly intriguing Ren with that plot twist, and it completely changes how I think of A Door in the Dark. In fact, those changes increase the chances of me reading the sequel. Despite a fairly ho-hum start, Mr. Reintgen redeems himself in the end, and that is all that matters.
A Door in the Dark has an intriguing premise with its locked room murder mystery set in a magical world. Then, it morphs into an adventure story wherein our hapless students must traverse uncharted territory to reach safety. Finally, Mr. Reintgen adds a revenge plot to the mix. None of these trajectories are boring or poorly written, but neither are they stellar. It is only when a last-minute plot twist becomes something of a game-changer that I became fully vested in the story, a fault I attribute to the fact that there is no blend of the plotlines. There is the murder, then there is the adventure. Mr. Reintgen mentions the revenge plot several times throughout the story but only abstractly. Only towards the end does it start to take shape, and that’s where A Door in the Dark starts to get interesting.
I had a similar reaction to the main character. Ren appears to be one thing during the murder mystery portion. She is a bit fusty, like one of those know-it-alls you avoid at social functions. Then Ren adapts to become something else while in the wilderness. While she still manages to spout oodles of knowledge, she tones down her approach and lets herself be somewhat human for these scenes. Still, she feels very basic until the end of the book, that is. Something happens that proves Ren is much more complicated than you think through most of the story.
Combine a newly intriguing Ren with that plot twist, and it completely changes how I think of A Door in the Dark. In fact, those changes increase the chances of me reading the sequel. Despite a fairly ho-hum start, Mr. Reintgen redeems himself in the end, and that is all that matters.
July 26, 2024
solid four stars for this one!
this is literally the first book i’ve finished on my own that wasn’t for book club or school in months 😭
soooo am i back in my reading era for summer? i hope so haha
so this book was really good, i bought it strictly based on one of the little review quotes on the back and the cover and it lived up to my expectations. which were pretty high, even though i’d never heard of it before
overall i enjoyed this book and whipped through it (for my recent standards anyway)
now we get into the details…
i really liked the setting, the world building was incredibly detailed and i really loved that the author would sprinkle in little tidbits of history from the world occasionally. it wasn’t overdone, but it was easy to catch onto how the magic system worked and get a basic idea of the history of the world
the plot was well paced and definitely kept my interest. it moved quickly and the characters rarely seemed to catch a break. although some things were predictable, (example, which characters would die and when) i was still interested and the book never got boring or slow at any parts, which i appreciated since i’ve been in a slump. also, the plot twist that the monster tailing them wasn’t just a monster, was crazy and i did NOT see that one coming
the characters were really interesting because everyone was very different, even on the surface. i loved all of the character dynamics, which also helped hold my interest. the main character, ren, was very interesting to read because she wasn’t a normal, standard protagonist. she had her own personal goals and she was kinda selfish at times, but i liked it sm because it was one of the first books i’ve read where the mc was like that
this review is way longer than i expected it to be but ok
also the writing was really good
really enjoyed this book and i’ll definitely be picking up the next one!
RATINGS✨
overall rating - 4 stars
writing - 5 stars
characters - 4 stars
plot - 4 stars
one last note, i feel so bad for theo cause ren REALLY is leading him on 😭
like bro has no idea that she’s out to get his entire family haha
this is literally the first book i’ve finished on my own that wasn’t for book club or school in months 😭
soooo am i back in my reading era for summer? i hope so haha
so this book was really good, i bought it strictly based on one of the little review quotes on the back and the cover and it lived up to my expectations. which were pretty high, even though i’d never heard of it before
overall i enjoyed this book and whipped through it (for my recent standards anyway)
now we get into the details…
i really liked the setting, the world building was incredibly detailed and i really loved that the author would sprinkle in little tidbits of history from the world occasionally. it wasn’t overdone, but it was easy to catch onto how the magic system worked and get a basic idea of the history of the world
the plot was well paced and definitely kept my interest. it moved quickly and the characters rarely seemed to catch a break. although some things were predictable, (example, which characters would die and when) i was still interested and the book never got boring or slow at any parts, which i appreciated since i’ve been in a slump. also, the plot twist that the monster tailing them wasn’t just a monster, was crazy and i did NOT see that one coming
the characters were really interesting because everyone was very different, even on the surface. i loved all of the character dynamics, which also helped hold my interest. the main character, ren, was very interesting to read because she wasn’t a normal, standard protagonist. she had her own personal goals and she was kinda selfish at times, but i liked it sm because it was one of the first books i’ve read where the mc was like that
this review is way longer than i expected it to be but ok
also the writing was really good
really enjoyed this book and i’ll definitely be picking up the next one!
RATINGS✨
overall rating - 4 stars
writing - 5 stars
characters - 4 stars
plot - 4 stars
one last note, i feel so bad for theo cause ren REALLY is leading him on 😭
like bro has no idea that she’s out to get his entire family haha
April 6, 2024
Interesting world and magic system but I didn’t like the protagonist. Shes too consumed with revenge and the equality issues of this magical world for me to find her relatable. Shes vindictive and callous and too singularity focused to make an interesting main character IMO. I mean she thinks about leaving the MMC there in the woods to die so that she can claim his inheritance and power. 😵💫😵💫 She wasn’t a character that I could form a connection with, it’s very obvious that the author sees her as flawed and that the character sees herself as flawed but I don’t know that even with epic character growth that she’ll ever be my thing.
I did like Theo. I liked that he gave off the appearance of being spoiled and uncaring but he was actually was more compassionate and emotional than the FMC was. Hes everywhere the FMC didn’t think he was but she still didn’t really care.
Overall: 2.5, I won’t be continuing with the series. I just don’t care about her or her plight to change the world.
The best thing about this book is the cover.
I did like Theo. I liked that he gave off the appearance of being spoiled and uncaring but he was actually was more compassionate and emotional than the FMC was. Hes everywhere the FMC didn’t think he was but she still didn’t really care.
Overall: 2.5, I won’t be continuing with the series. I just don’t care about her or her plight to change the world.
The best thing about this book is the cover.
April 5, 2023
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Young Adult / Epic Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
A Door in the Dark, by author Scott Reintgen, is the first installment in the authors Waxway's series. The series is set in a fictitious world known as Kathor. In this world, the entire city's magical supply comes from underground. Unfortunately, the city's supply of magic is nearly depleted and society is on the brink of collapsing even though the 5 major Houses refuse to acknowledge the impending doom of their society. The story is told in the first person narrative by Ren Monroe.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Young Adult / Epic Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
A Door in the Dark, by author Scott Reintgen, is the first installment in the authors Waxway's series. The series is set in a fictitious world known as Kathor. In this world, the entire city's magical supply comes from underground. Unfortunately, the city's supply of magic is nearly depleted and society is on the brink of collapsing even though the 5 major Houses refuse to acknowledge the impending doom of their society. The story is told in the first person narrative by Ren Monroe.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
January 16, 2024
Tohle bylo skvělý! První kapitola nás vhodí do děje a šokuje. Pak se vracíme o několik hodin zpět a dozvídáme se, jak se hlavní hrdinové do situace dostali. A temná krasojízda pokračuje dál. Řeknu vám, autor se toho nebál. Vystavil skvělý svět plný magie, která má svou cenu. Postavy jsou z různých sociálních skupin a asi si všechny neoblíbíte, ale to nevadí. Společně se ocitnou v temném lese, ze kterého se musí dostat. Ale jak? Jsou nuceni spolupracovat a bojovat o svůj život. Myslela jsem si, že největší šok jsem zažila na začátku, ale na konci mě čekal další a teď chci vědět, jak to bude dál…
April 22, 2024
Summary: classist wizarding world hunger games with constant yet always forgotten death and a magical forest marriage between mc and her enemy who she hated for no reason and now is beginning to love for no reason.
February 21, 2025
i’ve wanted to read this book for months and months. the premise (magical college!!) instantly drew me in, as well as the seeming intrigue of our main character Ren. however, it turned out a little… less than that.
—> spoilers ahead! be careful!
the first thing that struck me about this book was the writing style. the sentences seemed a little blunt to me, like something was missing. however, that’s probably just my love of commas (also keep in mind that i’ve been reading classics for my past three steady books). it wasn’t hard to get used to, and I think it contributed to this book by keeping me reading it
this book, despite how little I liked it, was very easy to read. the writing style allowed me to absorb what was happening very quickly, and I didn’t have to wade through any prose to do it. I would’ve liked a bit more description in some cases (i barely had a picture of avy, for example) but it was good for me because I didn’t have to do work to read this book, lol.
however, this has a drawback. because of the simplicity of the writing, it read like middle grade to me. don’t get me wrong— I love some middle grade books (tahereh mafi’s furthermore, I chant in the distance). however, when i’m looking for an epic high fantasy and instead find a skeleton of a book, it disappoints me.
speaking of this skeleton of a book, I genuinely think that’s the best way to describe this. The bones are all there— the plot and worldbuilding are phenomenal. Those guys are the three stars fr <33 the waxways were so incredibly imaginative!! and the houses, and magical college, and the whole magic is a science and a math…… I am in love.
but as for what populated the gaping mouth of this skeleton, the brain and heart and organs…? here are our tropes, arguably the organs of the story.
𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑𝒔-
romance- Theo and Ren’s romance fell so incredibly flat to me. she literally had no feelings for him, only using him to get ahead. I would’ve read with more interest if she had been fighting herself for indifference, emotions pouring out as she tries to walk the knife’s edge of keeping Theo in love and herself out of it. instead, Theo believes they’re going to get married, and she just… has other plans?
also, the constant references to “hookups” threw me out of this story. like out. timmons and clyde’s hookup (also, one of those names is fantasy, one of them roughly equates to chad, guess which is which) was just a blank thing that happened in the past. I would’ve liked to see stray glances, some pining on one part, making them a foil to ren and theo.
imagine how interesting that would’ve been?? the dead couple and the one that survived?? acting on passion vs acting for best interests? yet another interesting thing to stash away in my brain… that’s the end of this section, 0/5
friendships-
timmons and ren’s friendship was so cute and sweet. i liked her more than ren and i’m not sorry. the very short-lived found family was also cute!! 5/5
𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒕-
romance- mentions of “hookups”. kissing, not a ton of detail imo. 3/5
cursing- 0/5 if there was cursing it was probably fantasy words anyways
other- a semi-hallucinogenic drug is mentioned and taken, with no repercussions. characters drink, also with no problems. 4/5
𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏-
diversity- unless i missed something I don’t think there was a very diverse cast. one girl is described as olive-skinned.
lgbtqia+- lowkey i thought Cora was bi the entire time but that might’ve just been me… 1/5
religion- fantasy religion and the differences between different ones are discussed!!
now, i never do this, but welcome to our characters, the heart of the story!!
—— ren 🖋️🪩
“i’m a mirrorball, shimmering beautiful / i’ll show you every version of yourself tonight” (mirrorball, taylor swift)
Ren was our protagonist and POV character! I liked her dilemma at the start of getting accepted into the houses. However, her father’s backstory was kinda confusing to me. I also didn’t really understand what was going on with her mom.
The TERRIBLE romance with Theo threw me on her. She became incredibly un-relatable (lowkey i still kinda liked her scheming until it kept going…)
the final plot twist didn’t throw me at all. it wasn’t that I expected it, because I *didn’t* expect it, it just didn’t bother me. basically I didn’t care…..
ren overall was an ok character?? I liked Timmons way more.
——theo 💛💵
“you know you sound cocky as fuck” (cirque, sub urban)
these emojis are kinda taking me out but that was his entire vibe to me. im not sorry. he felt very one dimensional. fuckboy kinda vibes..?
——timmons ✨👒
“oh-oh, barbie, you’re so fine” (speed drive, charli xcx)
someone take the emoji keyboard away from me rn please
the life of the party!!!!!!!!! she’s one of the stars i am so fr on that one
——cora 👹👹👹
yeah that was her vibe to me. i really wanted to know a lot more about her!! she seemed super interesting but literally idk why she would do all that to pass her finals?? iykyk ig…
——ummm I think his name was avy 💪💪
yeah I don’t really remember him. he was pretty funny tho and I was interested in his dynamic with Cora. unfortunately things like that tend to stop when the author keeps ki-*gunshot*
this review is getting worse and worse the more it goes on…
——Clyde🧌🧌🧌🧌🧌🧌🧌
that was clyde yeah. what’s up with this guy giving all his guy characters normal names and then his girls ✨fantastical✨ names? idk but it was really funny to me
if there were other characters I forgot them. OH I really liked the teacher tho I thought he was silly
This review has devolved so much so I think I have to stop it. Overall, a solid middle grade book, but bothered me in a lot of different ways (especially since my teacher read it and said she loved it?? so I assumed it was ya??)
—totoro!! ☀️🌱
—> spoilers ahead! be careful!
the first thing that struck me about this book was the writing style. the sentences seemed a little blunt to me, like something was missing. however, that’s probably just my love of commas (also keep in mind that i’ve been reading classics for my past three steady books). it wasn’t hard to get used to, and I think it contributed to this book by keeping me reading it
this book, despite how little I liked it, was very easy to read. the writing style allowed me to absorb what was happening very quickly, and I didn’t have to wade through any prose to do it. I would’ve liked a bit more description in some cases (i barely had a picture of avy, for example) but it was good for me because I didn’t have to do work to read this book, lol.
however, this has a drawback. because of the simplicity of the writing, it read like middle grade to me. don’t get me wrong— I love some middle grade books (tahereh mafi’s furthermore, I chant in the distance). however, when i’m looking for an epic high fantasy and instead find a skeleton of a book, it disappoints me.
speaking of this skeleton of a book, I genuinely think that’s the best way to describe this. The bones are all there— the plot and worldbuilding are phenomenal. Those guys are the three stars fr <33 the waxways were so incredibly imaginative!! and the houses, and magical college, and the whole magic is a science and a math…… I am in love.
but as for what populated the gaping mouth of this skeleton, the brain and heart and organs…? here are our tropes, arguably the organs of the story.
𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑𝒔-
romance- Theo and Ren’s romance fell so incredibly flat to me. she literally had no feelings for him, only using him to get ahead. I would’ve read with more interest if she had been fighting herself for indifference, emotions pouring out as she tries to walk the knife’s edge of keeping Theo in love and herself out of it. instead, Theo believes they’re going to get married, and she just… has other plans?
also, the constant references to “hookups” threw me out of this story. like out. timmons and clyde’s hookup (also, one of those names is fantasy, one of them roughly equates to chad, guess which is which) was just a blank thing that happened in the past. I would’ve liked to see stray glances, some pining on one part, making them a foil to ren and theo.
imagine how interesting that would’ve been?? the dead couple and the one that survived?? acting on passion vs acting for best interests? yet another interesting thing to stash away in my brain… that’s the end of this section, 0/5
friendships-
timmons and ren’s friendship was so cute and sweet. i liked her more than ren and i’m not sorry. the very short-lived found family was also cute!! 5/5
𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒕-
romance- mentions of “hookups”. kissing, not a ton of detail imo. 3/5
cursing- 0/5 if there was cursing it was probably fantasy words anyways
other- a semi-hallucinogenic drug is mentioned and taken, with no repercussions. characters drink, also with no problems. 4/5
𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏-
diversity- unless i missed something I don’t think there was a very diverse cast. one girl is described as olive-skinned.
lgbtqia+- lowkey i thought Cora was bi the entire time but that might’ve just been me… 1/5
religion- fantasy religion and the differences between different ones are discussed!!
now, i never do this, but welcome to our characters, the heart of the story!!
—— ren 🖋️🪩
“i’m a mirrorball, shimmering beautiful / i’ll show you every version of yourself tonight” (mirrorball, taylor swift)
Ren was our protagonist and POV character! I liked her dilemma at the start of getting accepted into the houses. However, her father’s backstory was kinda confusing to me. I also didn’t really understand what was going on with her mom.
The TERRIBLE romance with Theo threw me on her. She became incredibly un-relatable (lowkey i still kinda liked her scheming until it kept going…)
the final plot twist didn’t throw me at all. it wasn’t that I expected it, because I *didn’t* expect it, it just didn’t bother me. basically I didn’t care…..
ren overall was an ok character?? I liked Timmons way more.
——theo 💛💵
“you know you sound cocky as fuck” (cirque, sub urban)
these emojis are kinda taking me out but that was his entire vibe to me. im not sorry. he felt very one dimensional. fuckboy kinda vibes..?
——timmons ✨👒
“oh-oh, barbie, you’re so fine” (speed drive, charli xcx)
someone take the emoji keyboard away from me rn please
the life of the party!!!!!!!!! she’s one of the stars i am so fr on that one
——cora 👹👹👹
yeah that was her vibe to me. i really wanted to know a lot more about her!! she seemed super interesting but literally idk why she would do all that to pass her finals?? iykyk ig…
——ummm I think his name was avy 💪💪
yeah I don’t really remember him. he was pretty funny tho and I was interested in his dynamic with Cora. unfortunately things like that tend to stop when the author keeps ki-*gunshot*
this review is getting worse and worse the more it goes on…
——Clyde🧌🧌🧌🧌🧌🧌🧌
that was clyde yeah. what’s up with this guy giving all his guy characters normal names and then his girls ✨fantastical✨ names? idk but it was really funny to me
if there were other characters I forgot them. OH I really liked the teacher tho I thought he was silly
This review has devolved so much so I think I have to stop it. Overall, a solid middle grade book, but bothered me in a lot of different ways (especially since my teacher read it and said she loved it?? so I assumed it was ya??)
—totoro!! ☀️🌱
April 28, 2024
Kylo Ren Ren
Well, kudos to Reintgen for having the balls to make his female protagonist thismonstruous morally compromised, I guess. And for what it’s worth, the twist is a fairly unique one.
Unfortunately this twist, while in character for Ren, stretches plausibility. It also has some disturbing implications regarding this book’s themes of class warfare. Must we really have another book on how a low-income plebeian’s righteous anger against rich people is actually problematic? I’d have to re-read this to make sure, but I suspect major plot holes.
As for the rest, the survival adventure was interesting at first—a welcome change in pace from the dutiful worldbuilding info dump—up until the second death. Then it became really tedious, with a long drawn-out denouement. There was virtually no character development—Ren is still intent on her revenge quest, Theo barely came to like her, and the other three characters ended up as red shirts, killed off so casually I barely even stirred. It would be different if Ren had caught feelings and denied them, but that wasn’t the case here.
There is a way you can make a female character a cunning, ruthless social climber and still be compelling. But this isn’t it.
Well, kudos to Reintgen for having the balls to make his female protagonist this
Unfortunately this twist, while in character for Ren, stretches plausibility. It also has some disturbing implications regarding this book’s themes of class warfare. Must we really have another book on how a low-income plebeian’s righteous anger against rich people is actually problematic? I’d have to re-read this to make sure, but I suspect major plot holes.
As for the rest, the survival adventure was interesting at first—a welcome change in pace from the dutiful worldbuilding info dump—up until the second death. Then it became really tedious, with a long drawn-out denouement. There was virtually no character development—Ren is still intent on her revenge quest, Theo barely came to like her, and the other three characters ended up as red shirts, killed off so casually I barely even stirred. It would be different if Ren had caught feelings and denied them, but that wasn’t the case here.
There is a way you can make a female character a cunning, ruthless social climber and still be compelling. But this isn’t it.
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